As Kanone left his apartment, he wondered where Ayumu would go, "Back home?" He thought, "It's possible. Where else could he have gone?" As Kanone searched the streets his mind led him to other thoughts, "What did Eyes mean when he said he wouldn't give me up without a fight, I wonder? Does he intend to fight with Ayumu over me? Could be, ever since we we've been little he's always been possessive of things he knew were his."

Flashback (A/N: Eyes is 6 and Kanone is 7, can you imagine...so cute!)

"Eyes? Eyes, where have you run off to?" Kanone called for his friend, "Where could he be?" Kanone asked himself, searching every inch of his backyard.

"Kanone! I'm over here!" Kanone turned to see Eyes running up to him, waving a hand.

Kanone waved back and waited for Eyes to reach him, "Eyes where have you been, it's getting late." Kanone scolded Eyes. He was overprotective of the younger boy, he knew this. But he didn't want to see Eyes get hurt and he just seemed so... fragile.

"Sorry, Kanone." Eyes looked down at the ground and then back up to his friend, "You're not mad at me, are you?" Eyes admired Kanone, like a older brother. Kanone's opinion mattered more than anyone else's; he didn't want Kanone upset with him.

"Mad?" Kanone asked, slightly shocked. Eyes had never done anything to anger Kanone. Kanone didn't think it was possible for Eyes to do anything wrong, at least not on purpose or without reason. "I'm not mad at all, Eyes." Kanone hugged his friend, "I just worry when I don't know where you are, you know how protective of you I am."

"I know Kanone. I didn't mean to worry you, I'm sorry."

"Eyes stop apologizing. You've done nothing wrong." Kanone's attention turned towards an object in Eyes' hand, "What do you have there?"

Eyes looked down at his hand and then opened it to reveal a small pink conch shell, "I found it down by the lake. I liked it so I took it." Eyes explained.

Kanone smiled at Eyes, "It's lovely. Do you mind if I have it? It can be my birthday present."

Eyes stared at Kanone, "Your birthday isn't for another month, Kanone."

"True, but you can give birthday presents early, you know. So? Can I have it?"

"You mean...to keep?"

"That would be the idea, yes." Kanone looked at Eyes, "It would mean a lot to me."

Eyes handed Kanone the shell, "Sure, Kanone. Happy...happy birthday." Eyes' voice was barely a whisper. Eyes was staring at the ground as he started to cry. He really liked that shell, he wasn't sure why, he just liked it. Why did Kanone have to ask for that of all things? After all, it had been his.

"Eyes, are you okay?" Kanone looked concerned as he placed as he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.

Eyes flinched at the touch and mumbled, "Yes, I'm fine." before he ran off towards the house.

Kanone chased after him and ran to Eyes' room. The younger boy had locked himself in his room and Kanone could now hear him crying through the door. Kanone knocked softly, "Eyes, can you open the door? I want to talk to you." Eyes opened the door and Kanone looked at him confused, "Eyes, what in the world has you so upset?" Kanone hugged Eyes and Eyes sniffed before whispering into Kanone's ear.

"Th-that shell was mine. I found it. Did you really have to take it?" Eyes confessed, he knew there was no sense in lying to Kanone, the older boy could always tell when he was lying.

"Eyes..." Kanone whispered. He took a step back and looked at Eyes who was looking at the ground, "If it means that much to you I'll give it back. I just..."

"No, Kanone." Eyes sniffed once more and looked up at his friend with a smile on his face, "I...I don't mind if you keep it."

"Are you sure? I'd forgotten how you get when people take your things. I don't want to end up in the hospital." Kanone said jokingly...sort of. There had been an incident a few months ago where some kid in Eyes' class had tried to take a toy that Eyes was playing with. The two got into an argument and Eyes punched the kid, breaking his nose. No one ever bothered Eyes after that, even the teacher was afraid to tell him 'no'.

"That kid was rude." Eyes defended himself, though it was unnecessary. Kanone supported Eyes on his actions, telling him to always stick up for himself. "Nothing you like you, Kanone. Besides, it's for your birthday. You can have it, I don't mind as long as it's you, Kanone...but only you, okay? Don't ever give it away."

"I would never do such a thing, Eyes."

"Promise?"

Kanone hugged Eyes one more time, "I promise, they'll have to bury it with me." While this comment may have disturbed some, it comforted Eyes who leaned into Kanone's embrace.

End Flashback (Kind of long flashback, huh? Oh well, back to the story!)

Kanone smiled back on this memory and thought of how much his dear friend has changed through the years, "Eyes wouldn't be caught dead crying or smiling now. He's so cold...but I still see emotion in him, even when others don't. I know it's still there." As Kanone reached Ayumu's apartment he took a deep breath, "Will he even talk to me? Will he let me explain?" Kanone knocked on Ayumu's door and got no response. He knocked again and heard some shuffling from the other side, "Ayumu? Is that you? It's Kanone, can I talk to you?"

Kanone heard a response that could have been interpreted as "Hold on" so he did. A moment later he saw a sleepy-eyed Ayumu staring...no glaring at him, "What do you want, Kanone? I thought you'd be with Eyes."

"Are you at least going to let me explain?"

"No. I've got a pretty good idea of what's going on. I'm okay, really. I just want to go to sleep. Good night, Kanone." Ayumu tried to shut the door but Kanone stopped it with his hand and walked inside. "What are you doing? I told you to leave me alone."

"I want to talk Ayumu, you need to understand what happened." Kanone shut the door and sat on the couch.

"I don't need to understand anything, Kanone. You really don't need to worry about me, I'm fine. Really." Seeing that Kanone wasn't leaving until Ayumu heard him out he sat in a chair facing Kanone. "This is just like the night the first time that we..." Ayumu shook his head, ''No, that's over now. Kanone is only here to break up with me. To make it official so he doesn't have to feel guilty."

"Ayumu I just want to say first off that I'm not here to end our relationship."

Ayumu looked up at Kanone, "He really never ceases to amaze me." Ayumu thought, "Okay then, Kanone, why are you here. You did sleep with Eyes, correct? So why aren't you breaking up with me when it's obvious who you'd prefer?"

"Yes, I...did sleep with him." Ayumu winced at this and Kanone felt a pang of guilt, "Ayumu, I care for both of you, but I did love Eyes first. He's the only reason..."

"That we're even together." Ayumu finished, "Yeah, I know. And you obviously love him more, Kanone. If you didn't then why would you risk me finding out about you two. You wouldn't have been that careless."

"Perhaps you're right, maybe I do love Eyes more. But I don't want to hurt you, Ayumu. I still care about you."

"Do you even love me?" Ayumu asked, deadly serious.

Kanone had to think about it for a minute, unfortunately Kanone always preferred to think out loud, so that's what he did. "Well initially, no. I only went to you for a release. I only planned on using you for a night then never talking to you again. I don't know what happened after that, I suppose I just grew attached to you. If Eyes had never come back then I think I would have fallen in love with you, but right now, I'm honestly in the dark about it. I have no idea." Kanone thought about what he had just said then looked at Ayumu, "That's about the gist of it. I know if we stay together that I will fall in love with you. But a part of me will always love Eyes, you have to understand that now."

Ayumu took a minute to absorb all this information, "He was just going to use me? But he didn't. Why? What is so special about me? And can I believe him when he says he will love me eventually? I'm willing to wait if there's a chance, but..." Ayumu looked at Kanone to clarify that this wasn't a joke. When he saw Kanone's concerned face studying Ayumu's he decided that the Blade Child was serious, "I've never been one to fight for anything, I've always given up and run away, admitting defeat. But then again I've never had anything worth fighting for. If what you say is true and you will eventually love me as much as I love you, then I'm willing to fight for you."

Kanone brightened up at this, "Really, Ayumu? Then does this mean that...you...forgive me?" Kanone looked up at Ayumu hopefully.

"I...think I understand why you did what you did. Even though I don't approve of this kind of behavior, I understand that you love Eyes and seeing him again after you thought you wouldn't see him ever again...I can get over it, eventually." Ayumu thought about what he just said, and decided it was the truth for the most part, "At least I hope I can get over it." He thought sadly, "I love Kanone, despite what he's done. I don't want to have this grudge against him."

"Ayumu?" Kanone asked, getting the boy's attention, "There is one small problem. Eyes is just as determined as you are, and he is convinced that you don't deserve me and he will fight for me. You do understand he won't give up easily?"

Ayumu only nodded and Kanone walked out the door. When he was sure Kanone was gone he flipped open his cell phone and dialed a number. The person on the other line picked up, "Hello?"

"Rutherford." Ayumu said in a harsh tone, "You won't win Kanone that easily. I won't back down from this."

"Ah, Little Narumi." Eyes said, just as coldly, "Alright then. Let the game begin." With that both men shut their phones and went off to prepare for their final game.